Country and Western (C&W) is perhaps the hottest "cultural thing" in St. Lucia. Did I say "cultural"? Well, that is debatable but I will hold that corner until you can prove otherwise!
Which one came first? Is it "Quadrille" or "C&W". Perhaps, Quadrille! I understand that the slaves danced Quadrille - is that true? And by the way, did Quadrille come from Africa? I don't know!
But, I'll tell you one thing: Choiseulians love C&W and they also love Quadrille. But hear this: the Quadrille is dying out. When was the last time that you went to a Quadrille dance? Nowadays, we only see the kids dancing it on rare, ceremonial occasions.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSmUgEqScLQrxIWLyKc26BqPDpgHMKp0rKAyVtadZ83v-rXoTjIDKxuhpz_IhJro6gdM9L7CVd18RAnVYgz3wKxclq-Rr8BRe9nj3tGWvv7gqSnTHWP605ncI4N44YMaoQ7gUUxIylp4/s640/DSC04054.JPG) |
A REALLY SMOOTH PIECE OF DANCING BETWEEN TWO EXPERTS DANCERS |
There is a school of thought that the death of Quadrille helped to make the C&W stronger. It is claimed that the traditional folk dancers became nostalgic and simply jumped ship. That may be true.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj34m8KFaD4UJ2Vf2tYC39OVdgCxdzx2g_aMUdYO18eg1RrTkhyphenhyphenxMk3IbYTcnruxGGDDMA0oSJSc41JrPqZ4YcyjaWtdnjkzHmVdGYr-vHCTf9TdCwlZrYfOoK9mK5guI9CN-Ba0biEnHM/s640/DSC04040.JPG) |
EVERYBODY IS HAVING A GOOD TIME DANCING COUNTRY |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfPsmQl5UBG2vfbZgipL0tS3ucdYgmfBpBt9JKodlQcc_o0L1DSixbnyZAjZM3CQJwNZsMqXECekulIKUHoy_DAElS06HBrnhS9MRJiFG4r3tTy1OLPH3_m42GPkFjNzgjBxo3-1YxNQ/s640/DSC04019.JPG) |
YOU CAN ALSO TAKE TIME OFF FOR A DRINK OF "TENNESSEE" WHISKEY AT THE BAR |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0vB129-tbRZn62_6PfvlQiTwe7O21pfaJgIh_jmO99gFspRbFJ2oZmR1h483duGxmahy0RIcnoH5bktT7IcyJH4ZQDr2t19bocCM26anrwhoqdQzbD1zIR-mdsFyZzm430DRhUlT2e0/s640/DSC04018.JPG) |
COOL BREEZE (FROM COOL BREEZE CAR & JEEP RENTAL) AND TREVOR (FROM THE COUNTRY LIME CREW) LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwc21wAFDhKjPxe3pBKLd_FrVztl4SUjzfRdyoP6h-vLxLslwX0cton8KfEgCuua92htfWzYsC9WIo6tFp6u1sC_Zw02Zgl1PES3u9C4x40w2tglI9H-fkkXps6Mb_iFxRuTHgmYctxfc/s640/DSC04058.JPG) |
C&W DANCING HAS MANY STYLES: THIS IS ONE OF THEM! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbUnib93LV80onttICKWMuCpTJXO2j2J3aDapeckZaVtg7PGdWNGCHy0VmQFvel6j6-V9EHeNvm-YHoRHraUEm_r2Ngt31re1m_7MvqHjspcEp1wTEl_r44HyZyOly2FMFh6Iu1vcdF4/s640/DSC04049.JPG) |
DJ FRESH AT THE "DOTCOM SOUNDS" CONSOLE |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PlSOdKrmaRTr6W3V__f-hv9xRUkfKiwPfb_XmzAaa_6I628m6M8j240w2ZDRyhN3NwFDRfQL4JD37Gix5SqwcXNO1YS0Ss6K2hbmGdbhNMxzgjUW0irdc_2jnseqfmNLk9oSyw7Jxig/s640/DSC04045.JPG) |
DELICIOUS CREOLE CUISINE TO ENJOY |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2DdX45mtVO9j4qYN6SX8aFXy5APkvghaL5j1PLjkpbkauXaDY-evPKMpUv-mbIFo_Hv1d87S82IbHwkn7FU09JhbJ-I2ZdZhHn1n-XW3U0G_NDK2Uf6lDvPNEj66BOm0JgC8RQH_cyY/s640/DSC04046.JPG) |
A GALORE OF JERK CHICKEN ALSO AVAILABLE |
Country and western dancing is smooth, decent and graceful. It is a disciplined dance and once upon a time, it was thought to be "age-appropriate" for the old folk; but today, it appeals to the youth equally. There is hardly any disorderly behaviour at the sessions. The accepted dress code is almost semi-formal.
The quadrille , polka and the other old dances were copied from the French, they were the dances of Europe . Of course the music has the african influence in the rythm but the melodies are very similar to French tunes , an odd but beuatiful mixture.
ReplyDeleteC & W dance steps are the same as modern Ballroom Dance , the only explanation I can think of is that as the old dances of europe evolved into modern ballroom so the old dances here evolved in much the same way to become C & W.